Afghanistan News ?

As for the NA themselves, let's just say I'm glad I'm not living under them.

After the Soviets withdrew various Afghan groups turned on each other leaving their country in a perpetual state of civil war. When the Taliban came to power Pakistan, and some in the West, welcomed it for at least offering the country the chance of some stability. Having intervened heavily in this wretched civil war the US (+ allies) must now use everything at its disposal to promote the formation of a government with a chance of being acceptable to all groups. If Afghanistan descends into yet another bitter internecine conflict the US/UK anti-Taliban campaign will be left looking a clumsy, short-sighted campaign that made a bad situation worse.

Ummm... OK. And yes that's capital-T Trillion: U.S. Identifies Vast Riches of Minerals in Afghanistan

The United States has discovered nearly $1 trillion in untapped mineral deposits in Afghanistan, far beyond any previously known reserves and enough to fundamentally alter the Afghan economy and perhaps the Afghan war itself, according to senior American government officials.

The previously unknown deposits — including huge veins of iron, copper, cobalt, gold and critical industrial metals like lithium — are so big and include so many minerals that are essential to modern industry that Afghanistan could eventually be transformed into one of the most important mining centers in the world, the United States officials believe.

An internal Pentagon memo, for example, states that Afghanistan could become the “Saudi Arabia of lithium,” a key raw material in the manufacture of batteries for laptops and BlackBerrys.

The vast scale of Afghanistan’s mineral wealth was discovered by a small team of Pentagon officials and American geologists. The Afghan government and President Hamid Karzai were recently briefed, American officials said.

While it could take many years to develop a mining industry, the potential is so great that officials and executives in the industry believe it could attract heavy investment even before mines are profitable, providing the possibility of jobs that could distract from generations of war.

“There is stunning potential here,” Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of the United States Central Command, said in an interview on Saturday. “There are a lot of ifs, of course, but I think potentially it is hugely significant.”

At least now there is a reason for our being there

jfc

good luck afghanistan

"In the sacred story when the Pharaoh had the dream, he said: There'll be fat cows, which will represent times of abundance. And then, other thin cows will eat the fat cows, representing the times of hunger.

"Now we've passed the area of the thin cows. The time of the fat cows is here, because this is our prosperity."

- President Obiang Nguema on the discovery of oil in Equatorial Guinea

Dear Afghanistan,

Don't take the money.

Love,

Nigeria

one thing that usually helps corrupt governments clean up is the discovery of massively valuable natural resources

this kind of massively complicates American withdrawal doesn't it

i mean, Kabul will be a puppet, but whose?

i imagine this news has been known for some time and lots has been going on behind the scenes prior to its release. have deals already been struck?

You can bet Russia will want to get in on this.

The vast scale of Afghanistan’s mineral wealth was discovered by a small team of Pentagon officials and American geologists

No kidding. So they've finally hit the jackpot after 8 years? This is a pretty big deal.

Armed US 'Bin Laden hunter' is held in Pakistan

"Police say that Mr Faulkner was also carrying a book containing Christian verses and teachings."

I think I've heard of this book

yep, the purpose-driven life

Karzai's brother killed